Former Bluebird Cafe bartender Mark Irwin co-wrote Alan Jackson's first number one hit "Here In The Real World", a two time CMA Song of the Year nominee and winner of the Music City News’ Award for Song of the Year 1990.  As well as having songs on Alan Jackson's more recent CD “DRIVE” and Garth Brooks' “THE LOST SESSIONS”, Mark co-wrote the singles, "Bama Breeze" for Jimmy Buffet and "That's How They Do It In Dixie" for Hank WIlliams Jr. (featuring Gretchen Wilson, Big & Rich and Van Zandt).   Recently, Mark was a co-writer of the Tyler Farr number one hit single "Redneck Crazy", Thomas Rhett’s "Front Porch Junkies" and had 3 songs on the Tim McGraw CD "Two Lanes of Freedom"…including the number one hit song "Highway Don't Care", featuring Taylor Swift on guest vocals and Keith Urban on guitar.   Mark is also cowriter of Tim McGraw's recent single "Looking For That Girl" and Blake Shelton's number one hit single, "Neon Light". Mark’s latest single was Chris Janson's "Power of Positive Drinking"   A list of other artists who have recorded Mark’s songs are:                   Randy Travis, Martina McBride, George Jones, Faith Hill, Lee Brice, Thomas Rhett Julianne Hough, Bomshel, Billy Ray Cyrus, Jessie James, Tracey Lawrence, Sammy Kershaw, Chely Wright, Patty Loveless, Highway 101, The Whites, Chris LeDoux, Bucky Covington, Glen Campbell, Neal McCoy, The Dirt Drifters, Jaida Dreyer, Dakota Bradley and Austin Webb. Actress Gwyneth Paltrow also recorded one of Mark’s songs for her movie “Country Strong” costarring Tim McGraw.    Recently, Mark had a song on Blake Shelton’s newest CD “If I’m Honest” called "Bet You Still Think About Me", also a song on new artist Drake White’s CD called "Story." And at present Mark is working with a number of young, signed Country Music artists….

A brilliant writer, an innovative producer, a dynamic on-stage presence, and a mentor to emerging writers, Gordie’s musical genius and generosity is applauded by audiences and industry players alike.  Raised in the community of Big Pond (pop. 47), near the rugged, edge-of-the-world coastlines of Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, Sampson’s songwriting has taken him across the globe. But besides the island he hails from, there might be no place in his story more important than Nashville, Tennessee, where he lives now with his family. He moved to Music City in 2005, and in less than a year Carrie Underwood had recorded his own “Jesus, Take The Wheel,” which wound up at number one on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart for six weeks in a row and earned Gordie a Grammy for Best Country Song of the Year. Since then, Sampson’s songs have been cut by a long list of established artists that includes Florida Georgia Line, Luke Bryan, Rascal Flatts, Dan + Shay, Hunter Hayes and Caitlyn Smith and by young up-and-comers like Carly Pearce, Caylee Hammack and Tenille Townes.  It was a winding road to get here. He tore up the stage in high school and afterwards with his early bands, did time playing and producing for fiddlin’ phenom Ashley MacIsaac, toured with The Rankin Family, and was part of Canadian folk music icon Rita MacNeil’s group on her weekly CBC show Rita and Friends. Sampson’s straight-to-the-heart tunes benefit from the weight of his expressive voice on his own records, - his 1999 album Stones garnered a Juno Award nomination for Best Roots & Traditional Album and he has won numerous East Coast Music Awards.   Although he doesn’t often take on outside projects, he has appeared as a producer for records by The East Pointers and Port Cities.  Gordie heads back home to Canada every summer to spend time with family and friends in his beloved Cape Breton and to perform in the Maritimes, where enthusiastic audiences welcome him, year after year.  From 2010-2019 he ran The Gordie Sampson Songcamp, a retreat that gives young songwriters the opportunity to develop their skills and build relationships with their peers, and promotes learning in pursuit of artistic excellence. Numerous Songcampers, including Mo Kenney, the members of roots/pop group Port Cities, Dave Sampson and Kyle Mischiek (Sunsetto)  have gone on to build their own successful musical careers. 

Born and raised in Pittsburg, Kansas, Jenn Schott was destined to have a career in music. It’s in her genes. Her grandfather was the concert master violinist for the CBS orchestra including the Ed Sullivan show, her father was a university professor of woodwinds, and her mother is a flutist. After graduating with a journalism degree from the University of Missouri, Jenn made the move to Nashville to pursue a career as a songwriter. More than 20 years later, Jenn’s songs continue to resonate with artists in Nashville and beyond. Jenn co-wrote Tim McGraw’s #1 single, “7500 OBO” in addition to the title track of McGraw’s Grammy nominated album, “Two Lanes of Freedom,” which was also the namesake of McGraw’s 2013 summer tour. She also penned Mickey Guyton’s debut single, “Better Than You Left Me,” which was named one of Billboard’s 10 Best Country Songs of 2015. Other artists who have recorded Jenn’s songs include Rascal Flatts, The Eli Young Band, Billy Ray Cyrus, Pam Tillis, Lonestar, Gloriana, Jana Kramer, Francesca Battistelli, Natalie Hemby, Lucy Hale, Jamie Lynn Spears, and Restless Heart. Jenn is an alumna of Leadership Music and proudly sits on the board of the Nashville Songwriters Association International and a committee for the Mechanical Licensing Collective (The MLC).